Sutera Harbour - The Pacific Sutera

The service was excellent, and overall we had a great stay during the CNY holiday with family. Check-in took a bit longer than usual. We booked a family room with one queen bed and two singles. It was clean and had two toilets, one in the master room and one in the other room, though only the master bathroom had a bidet and bathtub. There weren’t many power sockets, and the ones there were far from the beds, making it hard to charge our phones. The hotel also runs a shuttle bus between its other buildings. I’d recommend staying here.

The pool was a relaxing place to spend time, and the drinks were really good. We could walk straight from the resort to the beach, which made watching the sunset perfect. At the rooftop restaurant, the food was amazing and the harbour and yacht view was just wow. The staff were very friendly and attentive, always checking that everything was okay. Sabah is beautiful, and staying at Pacific Sutera made the whole experience even more shiok. It’s definitely somewhere I want to return to.

The food was a letdown. Breakfast fell below expectations, and I’d suggest booking it for just one day and eating out the rest of the stay. At Breeze restaurant, the chef said they couldn’t make lamb because a group of 12 had just arrived and ordered. The restaurant wasn’t full, and the food we did get was subpar with a strange smell that concerned me. The room was acceptable, but for the price it wasn’t impressive or good value, perhaps because of peak-season rates. Amenities were adequate but nothing memorable. Check-in was strictly at 3pm with no early arrival allowed, and checkout at 12pm had no flexibility, not even a 30-minute extension. That was off-putting, though I understand it was high season. Service was generally okay, but staff could do better at solving problems, especially for a place positioned as a 5-star hotel. When we asked whether children could go to Horizon, the answer was simply “no,” then silence while we stood there. They could have suggested an alternative like Magellan instead of abruptly ending the interaction. The stay was okay, but fell short of what I expected for the price and 5-star positioning, especially in peak season.

Café Boleh’s breakfast had lots of choice and fresh food, and the team there were cheerful and attentive. The dinner menu was extensive and affordable too. The pool and marina access were highlights, especially for an evening walk. There are picker-ball courts, open until 12am. I stayed at The Pacific Sutera Hotel for 3 days and really enjoyed it. Staff were friendly and helpful from check-in, and the spacious, clean room had a great marina view. The bed was comfy, and housekeeping did a great job each day. Parts of the room are a bit old, but everything worked and it was still comfortable. A great Kota Kinabalu stay for comfort, convenience, and a resort feel. I’d stay again.